Strict types for an app that supports devices across System 2, 3 & 4

I want to make sure I understand this concept before I delve into implementing stricter type checking in my code base.

As the Type checking is an SDK4 COMPILER function, if I modify my code base (that supports devices across system2, 3 & 4) to enforce strict typing, will the resulting PRG run on the older, current System2 and System3 devices?

The fact that type checking is a global extension setting in VS Code leads me to believe that the answer above, must be YES because if the answer was NO, then the build process would need a method of setting the level of type checking for each device (possibly in jungles or manifest).

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Travis.ConnectIQ over 4 years ago +1 verified

el34rob said:
As the Type checking is an SDK4 COMPILER function, if I modify my code base (that supports devices across system2, 3 & 4) to enforce strict typing, will the resulting PRG run on the older…

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+1 Travis.ConnectIQ over 4 years ago

el34rob said:
As the Type checking is an SDK4 COMPILER function, if I modify my code base (that supports devices across system2, 3 & 4) to enforce strict typing, will the resulting PRG run on the older, current System2 and System3 devices?

Yes. This is covered in the first few paragraphs of the Monkey Types documentation [https:/developer.garmin.com/connect-iq/monkey-c/monkey-types]

Monkey Types has the following goals:

1. Compatibility - Breaking changes to the Monkey C language would require rework to
  thousands of Connect IQ apps. Monkey Types extends the Monkey C grammar but avoids
  breaking changes. Monkey Types is also designed to not rely on additional run time
  information. Because of this, you can use Monkey Types for apps that run on all
  Connect IQ compatible devices.

0 FlowState over 4 years ago in reply to Travis.ConnectIQ

It's pretty confusing that the "System 4" announcement defines "System 4" as a set of devices that supports at least Connect IQ API 3.2.0, but then talks about Type Checking and Compile Time Imagine Scaling as "System 4" features and "SDK 4" features as if those are supposed to be synonymous.

https://forums.garmin.com/developer/connect-iq/b/news-announcements/posts/welcome-to-connect-iq-system-4

...

Shouldn't the heading here read "New In Connect IQ 4 SDK" instead of "New in System 4"?

(I know we've already been told that type checking and scaling are supposed to be available for all devices, but the announcement can be interpreted differently. If I hadn't heard otherwise before, I would've assumed that type checking and scaling are only available on System 4 devices.)

0 Shent-Aurkhan (SHN) over 4 years ago

hi mates, sorry about this stupid question, but I don't find where to set it? (types option)

I'm on Eclipse.

I did Preference => Connect IQ => Compiler but nothing here

0 Travis.ConnectIQ over 4 years ago in reply to FlowState

I am probably not the best person to answer this. I'm not fully up-to-speed on this rebranding stuff, but I think you're right.

0 el34rob over 4 years ago in reply to FlowState

Thanks FlowState, I'm glad it's not just me who found this confusing. Having now re-read the paragraph that Travis.ConnectIQ referred to and posted it seems clearer now, so thankyou both.

0 jim_m_58 over 4 years ago in reply to Shent-Aurkhan (SHN)

You add it here, in this case "-l 1"

0 el34rob over 4 years ago in reply to Shent-Aurkhan (SHN)

I may be wrong (I avoid eclipse now), but I think you'd add the "-l x" types parameter into the orange highlighted area, below (compiler parameters). Not sure if the value of "x" is from 1-4 or 0-3 for Silent, Gradual, Informative or Strict, respectively:

0 Shent-Aurkhan (SHN) over 4 years ago in reply to el34rob

Many thanks!!! el34rob 0 seems to be silent.

0 enki42ea over 4 years ago

I feel like this is a supid question but what is the minimum sdk version to support this? If its a sdk 4 compiler thing I'm guessing preview 3?

0 jim_m_58 over 4 years ago in reply to enki42ea

It should work for all CIQ devices, but you need a 4.x complier/SDK. 4.0.1 has been released, and with that you can build iq files.